Motion-picture machine



April 8 1924.

w. s. SCALES MOTION PICTURE MACHINE Filed Sept. 10 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet l A ril 8, 1924. 1,489,363

W. S. SCALES MOTION PI CTURE MACHINE Filed Sept. 10. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inna nioz' W. S. SCALES MOTION PICTURE MACHINE April 8 1924.

4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 10 1920 In ventoz:

April 8, 1924. I 1,489,363

. W. S. SCALES MOTION PICTURE MACHINE Filed Sept. 10 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Invefitor Patented Apr. 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM s. scams, or Noarom: DOWNS, mssacxcsm'rs.

MOTION-PICTURE MACHINE.

Application filed September 10, 1920. Serial No. 409,477.

1 '0 all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. SCALES, av citizen of the United States, residing at Norfolk Downs, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motion-Picture Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to motion picture exhibiting machines, having particular reference to mechanism for viewing motion pictures without the cumbersome paraphernalia required by the ordinary projecting methods. such as screens, condensers, lamps, rheostats, electric wiring etc.,to which may be added the necessity of a darkened room-for their successful exhibition, and is particularly adapted to viewing pictures of personal interest, instructive pictures,

and mechanisms in operation, its compactness, portability and comparative simplicity of operation being such as to provide a practical device by which these objects are obtained. 7

It is particularly designed to exhibita moving picture scene of comparatively short duration which, when the series of pictures has been run through, is ready to repeat its exhibition by simply resetting the starting lever thus enabling the observer to look at interesting, illustrative or instructive scenes ad libitum without annoying delay to rewind or adjust the film.

Another object of this invention is to proiide means whereby a film of pictures may be quickly replaced by another.

A still further object is to enable pictures taken with stereoscopic effect to be viewed with such effectwhich, especially in mechanical movements, renders them more clearl comprehensible by the relief this effect a fords; and the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the co-acting groups of parts and mechanisms for the purpose above described, all as set forth in the following specification and clearly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a slightly reduced side elevation of a picture exhibiting machine embodying this invention, one side of casing and the mechanism-supporting side plate being removed for clearnem of illustration. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a full size elevation of the upper or supply reel with its roll of film, feed roll and some of the reel controlling and supthe guiding ribbon is attached, and the film feeding roll with a. part of the reel controlling mechanism. Fig. 7 is an elevation of a part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6 showing its controlling ra-tchets and pawls. Fig. 8 is an elevation of the tripping mechanism as viewed in Fig. 1 which is actuated by the film to reverse its movement. Fig. 9 is a plan of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is an elevation of the lower reel tripping mechanism as viewed in Fig. 1 which stops the movement of the film actuating mechanism. Fig. 11 is a plan of the same. F lg. 12 is an elevation, viewed from the left of Fig. 1, of the starting lever connections in its mechanism. starting position. Fig. 13 is an elevation, viewed. from the right of Fig. 3, of the reel releasing mechanism.

This machine consists of a suitable casing 1, one side of which constitutes a supporting plate 2. A supporting plate 3, is inside the-casing and the two plates form the supports for most of the various mechanisms. A plate 4, attached to the plate 3 by means of a post 6, and the screws 7 7 forms, with plate 3, a support for a driving shaft 8. The driving. shaft 8 is journaled in the plates 3 and 4 and has secured to it two gears 9 andlO, the latter meshing with a gear 11, of the same diameter loosely mounted on a shaft 12, journaled in the plates 2 and 3. Gear 9 is of smaller diameter than gear 10 and meshes with an idler gear 13, loosely mounted on a stud 14, secured to the plate-4. The idler gear 13 meshes with a gear 15, loosely mounted on the shaft 12. By this arrangement the gear 15 rotates in a reverse direction to that of gear 11 when the shaft 8 is rotated.

Secured to one side of gear 11 is a flange 16, which forms a part of a cone clutch. Gear 15 has a similar flange 17, and the two are alternately engaged respectively by the clutch cones 18, 19, made integral with each other and slidably keyed to the shaft 12; the shaft 12 will thus be actuated to rotate in either direction according to the cone engaged.

Fast on the shaft 12 is a gear 20, which engages an idler gear 21, loosely mounted on astud 22, on the plate 3, this idler -engaging a pinion 23, which rewinds an upper film roll as will be hereinafter described.

The gear 20 also engages an idler gear 24, loosely mounted on a stud 25, on the plate 3 and this idler by its engagement with a pinion 26, actuates a lower film reel upon which the film is wound as it unwinds from the upper reel. The idler gear 24 also engages an idler gear 27, loosely mounted on.a stud 89, on the plate 3, which by its engagement with a pinion 28, actuates a roll 29, having thereon film engaging sprocket teeth which give continuous uniform movement to the film both in winding onto the lower reel and unwinding therefrom.

The idler gear 21 engages an idler gear 30, loosely mounted on a stud 31 on the plate 3 and this idler in turn engages a pinion 32, which actuates an upper roll 33, upon which at each end are film engaging sprocket teeth as at 34, one end of this roll shown in Fig. 2 beingv broken away to show the lower roll 29, this roll having the same function with relation to the upper reel as roll 29 has to the lower.

The gear 21 also engages a pinion 35, which is fast on a shaft 36, loosely mounted in a sleeve 37, in the plate 3, the said shaft having secured to its outer end an arm 38, on which is loosely mounted a roll 39 which, by its engagement with a star wheel 40, secured to a shaft 41, extending through the plate 3 at one end and journaled in plate 2 at the other, actuates the shaft to rotate intermittentlv, the said star wheel, arm and roll and a loc (ing cam 42, secured to said arm forming the well known Geneva intermittent movement mechanism. Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

Fast upon the shaft 41 are two film engaging sprockets 43, 44, and intermediate them is a film engaging sprocket 45, having the same diameter as the two outer sprockets but with half the number of teeth for a purpose to be described.

Intermediate the outer sprockets on roll 33, the one not shown corresponding in position to sprocket 43 on the shaft 41, is a sprocket 52, the circular pitch of which, as also that of'the sprocket 45, is equal to the space of each picture in its progressive movement.

This construction avoids the liability of the film being misplaced in its engagement with the sprockets 43 and 44 the series of sprocket holes in the film, one at each edge and one in the center, corresponding to the above mentioned sprockets.

This description of the film roll 33 applies also to the lower roll 29 adding to it the wide grooves 53, 54, on the latter for a purpose to be described.

A grooved roll 46, journaled in slots 47, in brackets 48, 49, is spring pressed by springs as at 50, against the film that is being exhibited and holds it in engagement with the roll A similar roll 55, journaled at one end in the plate 2 and at the other in the support 56, secured to plate 3, holds the film in engagement with the sprocket roll 29 and has in addition the circumferential grooves 57, 58.

A removable flanged reel 59, herein termed primary reel, carrying a roll of picture film 60, is supported at one end by a rotatable conical trunnion 61, and at the other end by a trunnion 62, which is fixed in a support 63 hinged at 64 to the plate 2. The reel holding position of this support is maintained by a latch 65, pivoted at 66 in a filling strip 67, secured to and forming a part of the said support, Figs. 3 and 13. A stud 68, secured to the plate 2 is engaged by the short end of the latch when in the locked position shown in full lines in Fig. 13 and holds the support in its maintaining position, the disengagement of the latch with the stud by moving it to the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 13 enmitting the support to be tipped suflicient y to release the reel as shown in dotted lines in Fi 3.

In the core of the reel 59 intermediate its flanges is a circumferential groove 69, Fig. 9 for a purpose to be described, and the ends of this core are countersunk to receive the trunnions 61, 62 upon which it may rotate. The larger trunnion 61 is integral with a shaft 70, one end of which is journaled in a bracket 71, secured to the plate 3 and the other in the said plate. A ratchet 72, fixed on the shaft 70 and its engaging spring pressed pawl 73, pivoted on a stud fixed in the bracket 71 rcvents the trunnion 61 from turning in a irection to unroll the film so that when the film is drawn from the reel by the film actuating mechanism the friction of the core on the trunnion will be sufficicnt to prevent the reel from overrunning to any detrimental extent by its momentum when the direction of the film actuating mechanism is reversed.

A disc 74, fast on the shaft 7 O has pivoted on it a spring pressed pawl 75, which engages a ratchet 76, secured to the hub of the pinion 23 which is loosely mounted on the said shaft.

As the pawl engaging teeth of the ratchets 72 and 76 are in op oslte rotative directions it is obvious that w ien the pinion 23 and its connected ratchet are rotated in a direction to unwind the film from the reel 60 no effect on the trunnion 61 is produced, the ratchet 72 preventing it from turning in that direction but when the direction of rotation of the said pinion is reversed the trunnion, and with it the reel, is turned to rewind the film, its speed of rotation being such that the film will wind on to the reel when the roll is at its smallest diameter, the trunnion slipping in its bearing in the core as the diameter of the roll increases.

The above description of the primary reel actuating and controlling mechanism applies equally to the above referred to lower or secondary reel 77 except that the pawl. engaging direction of movement of the ratchets is ieversed so that the film will be winding onto this reel while unwinding from the primary reel and will. unwind from this; reel while winding onto the primary ree As shown in Fig. 6 the smaller trunnion 78, is provided with a spring washer 79, between its supporting plate and the reel to maintain a suitable riction between the reel and its'actuating trunnion, the trunnion 78 being fixed in the plate 2, as the secondary reel does not require to be removed when substituting a icture roll for another.

The picture, 1m and its exhibiting means will now be described.

Referring to Fig, 3 the film 60 is shown as having four rows 'of picture seriesthereon designated as A, A, B, B, those having similar letters being related stereoscopically to each other.

The inner end of this film is secured to the core of the primary reel and on its outer end are tabs 80, 81, to which a ribbon 82, secured to the core of the secondary reel may be detachably fastened by means of cli s 83, 84, the said ribbon having short stu s 85, 86, upon which the tabs of the film are hooked before turning the clips to the locking position shown in full lines in Fig. 5.

Both fiIm and ribbon are provided with sprocket engaging holes at thelr edges in the usual manner and intermediate them is a series of sprocket holes 87 s aced in line with every alternate hole in either edge.

The pictures, indicated by the crossed spaces in Fig.3 as at 88, have a longitudinal dimension on the film equal to the distance between the holes in'the intermediate series. In placing a film to be exhibited so that the intermediate holes engage the intermediate sprocket on the roll 33 the proper stationary position of the pictures will be ensured.

A lon itudinal slot 89, is provided in the ribbon or a purpose 'to be described and corresponds in position to the roove 90, in the core of the secondary reehgig. 6.

In operation the film is first drawn from the primary reel 59 over the roll 33 and between it and the roll 46 and is intermittently moved by the sprockets between guides 91, 92, to between the rolls 28 and 55 thence to the secondary reel 77 upon which it is wound, this reel now being turned by the trunnion to which reference has hereinbefore been made in the description of the primary reel trunnion.

The direction of movement of the film is controlled by a starting lever 93, which is fulcrumed on a bracket 94, secured to the plate 3 and is extended through a slot in'the top of the case. This lever carries a latch 95, normally held in a latching position by a spring 96, this latch being situated to engage a flange 97, fast on a shaft 98, journa ed in the plates 2 and 3, Figs. 8 and 9.

The flange has a part cut away as shown in Fig. 8 in order that by a partial rotation of the shaft to which it is secured it may release the lever by the disengagement of the latch with the flange. When released from the latch the lever is spring actuated to move to the right of the observer in Fig. 9 as will be described.

A finger 99, fast on the shaft 98 is held against the film by a spring 100, attached at one end to the shaft and at the other to the plate 3 and follows the decreasing radius of the roll as it unwinds. At the inner end of the film roll is an elongated slot, not shown, similar to the slot 89 in the ribbon 82. \Vhen the roll is nearly unwound this slot' permits the finger to enter the groove 69 in the core of the reel 59, at which point in the rotation of the flange 97 the latch will be released and the lever will be spring actuated to move to a position whereby by means of connected mechanisms the movement of the film actuating mechanism will be reversed.

Secured to the lever 93 below its fulcrum is a stud 101, to which are fastened two flat springs 102, 103, Fig. 1. These springs engage a stud 104, in a forked arm secured to a rod 105' slidably mounted at one end in a bracket 106, secured to the plate 3 and at the other in a plate 107 on posts 108, secured in plate 2.

The forked arm 105 engages a groove between the two clutch cones 18, 19 and controls their engagement with their respective clutch flanges as the position of the.

starting lever may determine.

A connecting rod 109, is pivoted at one end to the lower end of the starting lever and at the other to an arm of a bell crank lever 1.10, fulcrumed on a bracket 111, on the base of the casing. To the other arm of ,the lever 110, is pivoted a rod 112, the other end of this rod being pivotally connected with the extended end of a rack 113, slidable in ways 114, 115. This rack meshes with a pinion 116, fast on a shaft 11.7, which is journaled in brackets .118, 119, secured to the plate 107. A spring 120, attached at one end to the shaft 117 and at the'other to the bracket 119 tends to rotate the shaft to move the rack upward, carrying, through its connections-the bell crank lever and connecting rods-the starting lever 93 to its unlatched position thus disengaging the cone 18 and engaging the cone 19 and thereby reversing the direction of rotation of the shaft 12 relative to the driving shaft 8.

Secured to one end of the shaft 117 is a bent arm 121, to which is attached a frame 122, carrying lenses 123, 124. These lenses are at different radial distances from the axial center of the shaft 117 and are each respectively central in front of a picture designated by the same letter in their exhibiting positions.

The drawings with the exception of Figs. 10 and 11 show the mechanisms ready to be actuated to exhibit a picture series; the primary reel fully wound, the film connected to the ribbon, the latch controlling finger holding the flange in latching position and the lever, manually moved, latched against it.

p The light rays from the pictures designated as A, A will now be directed through the lenses 123, 124, respectively and as these lenses are also shaped to serve as prisms the rays will be diverted respectively to prism lenses 12", 126, mounted in a carrying frame 127, secured to the shaft 117, these-clatter referred to lenses being at equal radial distances from the axial line of the shaft.

To ensure the proper limitation of movements of the lens carriers 127 and 122 a stop 128, secured to the plate 2 is in a position to be engaged by lugs 129, 130, attached to the lens carrier 126, violent impact against the stop being avoided by felt on their engaging sides as at 131, Fig. 1.

Adjustably mounted in the observing end of the case 1 are lens supporting tubes 132, 133, each containing a magnifying lens, (not shown) their axial positions being in line with the center of the lenses 125, 126, these latter serving to again divert the rays coming from the lenses 123, 124 into line with the axis of the lenses in the tubes so that the light rays from the pictures will enter the eyes of the observer as if each picture was central toits respective observing lens.

It is obvious that by rotating the shaft 117, through an arc of 180 degrees the various lenses which it supportswill be reversed in their respective relations to the film series and the series B and B will then be observable; this reversal occurring simultaneously with the reversing of the film actuating mechanism whereby the film is rewound onto the primary reel.

In close juxtaposition to the inner ends of the observing lens tubes, but allowing for focal adjustments of the same, is a disc 134, having openings diametrically opposite to each other, this disc serving as a cut out for the intermittent transmission of rays from the pictures in the usual manner.

The disc 134 is secured to a collar 135, which is fast on one end of a shaft 136, journaled in a support 137, secured to a plate 138, mounted on posts as at 139, secured to the plate 2. Secured to the other end of the shaft 136 is a spiral gear 140, which is engaged and driven by a spiral gear 141, mounted on and secured to a shaft 142, 'journaled at one end in the plate 138 and at the other in the plate 3.

Fixedly mounted on the shaft 142 is a gear 143, which is engaged and driven by an idler gear 144, loosely mounted on a stud 145, secured in the plate 3. This idler is engaged and driven by the gear 20 and the rotation of the disc 134 in relation to the film actuating mechanism is such that a cycle of the film actuating mechanism is effected at each half revolution of the disc.

Provision for the stopping of the film actuating mechanism upon the completion of the rewinding of the film onto the primary reel is as follows:

Referring to Figs. 10 and 11 in the drawings, a finger 146, fixedly mounted on a shaft 147 journaled in the plates 2 and 3, is yieldingly held against the ribbon 82 by a spring 148, attached at one end to the shaft and at the other to the plate 3. The finger 146 is in a position for its outer end to enter the slot 89 in the ribbon and through it the groove 90 in the core of the secondary reel when the ribbon is nearly unwound. This finger has an extension 149, which is concentric with the shaft 147 and serves to hold up a brake cont-rolling arm 150, except when it has entered the groove 90 in the core of the secondary reel at which time the brake arm may drop off from the concentric surface of the extension 149.

Loosely mounted on the shaft 147 between the finger 150 and a. collar 151, secured to the shaft is a resetting'arm 152. The arm 152 has-a cam shaped extension 153, its highest part having the same radial dimension as the finger extension 149. The longer end of the arm 152 is engagedby pins 154, 155, in the connectin rod 112 (see Fig. 12) and its cam shaped extension is moved by them into and out of engagement with the brake arm 150. This cam 153 is for the purpose of liftin the brake arm and holding it until the rib on 82 is wound up enough to have moved the finger 146 out of the groove 90 when the extension 149 will have been carried under the end of the brake arm thus preventing it from dropping, regardless of the position of the cam 153. The brake arm 150 is secured to a shaft 156, journaled in supports 157, 158.

Attached at one end to the shaft 156 and at the other to the support 157 is a spring 158, which actuates a leather contact piece 159, secured to an arm 160, fixedly mounted on the shaft 156 to move and press against 'the disc 134, its friction thereby stopping the rotation of the disc and with it the various actuating mechanisms.

A handle 161, shown on the driving shaft 8 serves to manually operate the device but other driving source may be used.

As hereinbefore stated the "arious mechanisms excepting the operating handle are enclosedin a case but in changing the reel it is necessary to open the case and it is therefore provided with a hinged portion 162, which swings in hinges at 163, at the light entering end. This end is rigid with a part of the top extending as far as the starting handle 93 and is retained in a closed position by a hook 164, pivoted on the top of the fixed part of the case. By swinging this end to the position shown in the dotted lines at 165, the roll 46 is carried with it and the operator may then unfasten the film from the ribbon, lift it "from the sprocket roll 33, remove the reel and replace it with another.

. This device is ada ted to exhibit luculent films, such asare or inarily used in picture projecting machines, or translucent films photographed or printed on paper.

In the former case a translucent plate or sheet is required between the film and the source of illumination to'difiuse the light rays and for this pur ose I provide a plate of, so called, groun glass mounted in a frame 166, hinged to the inside of the movable part of the case by hinges 167, the friction of the hinges being suflicient to hold the frame in an upright position against an opening in the case through which the light I enters.

When paper or other translucent films are being viewed, the ground glass plate is not needed and by swinging it down away from the opening a greater illumination is obtained if desire In the foregoing description I have used the term reel and shown the same in the. drawin s as havin end flan s in descrlbing the grooved drum forming the core of the film roll, but it is obvious that 1f the flanges were omitted the drum and film roll on it would be the equivalent of the reel as described.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that a condensing lens with a lamp could be placed in front of the light entering opening and a single series ofthe film projected on a screen.

As a less expensive machine of this character could be constructed, by omitting the stereoscopic features, and yet embody some of the devices herein described using a film having but one double series of pictures instead of'two and, as I believe certain characteristics of the complete machine to be entirely independent of the articular form or arrangement of the speci 0 devices used, I do not limit my invention to the exact construction shown and described.

I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In a motion picture machine for exhibiting films having reversibly arranged picture series, a reversible film feeding mechanism, a reversible projecting system comprising oscillatable lens and prism holders and a reverse mechanism for said projecting system automatically operative whenever the film feeding mechanism is reversed to swing said holders through an arc of 180.

2. In a motion icture machine for exhibiting films having reversibly arranged picture series, a reversible film feeding mechanism and a film rewinding mechanism, an automatic stop for the film feed mechanism automatically applied whenever the film rewinding mechanism is put into action, a reversible projecting system, and a reverse mechanism for said projecting system automatically operative whenever the film feeding mechanism is reversed.

3. In a motion picture machine for exhibiting films having reversibly arranged picture series, a reversible film feeding mechanism and a film rewinding mechanism, an automatic stop for the film feed mechanism automatically applied whenever the film rewinding mechanism is put into action, a reversible projecting system, a reverse mechanism for said pro ecting system automatically operative whenever the filmfeeding mechanism is reversed, and a brake for said rewinding mechanism automatically applied when the film is substantially fully rewound.

4. In a motion picturemachine for exhibiting films having reversibly arranged picture series, a pair of spaced film holders, a reversible film.feeding mechanism, a rewinding mechanism for each film holder, a stop for the film feed mechanism automatically applied whenever either film rewinding mechanism is put into action, a reversible projecting system, and a reverse mechanism for said projecting system automatically operative whenever the film feeding mechanism is reversed.

5'. In a motion picture machine for exhibiting films having reversibly arranged picture series, a pair of spaced film holders, a reversiblefilm feeding mechanism. a rewinding mechanism for each film holder, a stop for the film feed mechanism automatically applied whenever either film rewlnding mechanism is put into action, a reversible projecting system, a reverse mechanism for said projecting system automatically operative whenever the film feeding mechanism is reversed, and a cut-out device for said projecting system automatically rotatable through a half-revolution to each complete cycle of the film feeding mechanism.

6. In a motion picture machine for exhibiting films having reversibly arranged picture series, a reversible film feeding mechanism and a rewinding mechanism for each film holder, a reversible projecting systern, a reverse mechanism for said projecting system automatically operative whenever the film feeding mechanism is reversed, and a cut-out device for said projecting system automatically rotatable through. a half-revolution to each complete cycle of the film feeding mechanism.

1. A moving picture machine for exhibiting films having reversely arranged picture series, comprising a driving shaft, a countershaft, said shafts, a reversible film feeding mechanism driven from said countershaft, a pri- .mary and a secondary film holder, holderactuating means operable at each holder in one direction only, motion transmitting connections between said countershaft and the actuatin means of each holder, a controlling devlcc arranged to automatically re verse said connections when the film is substantially fully unwound from said primary film holder, an oscillatable lens holder, and an osoillatable prism holder, means to swing said lens and prism holders through an arc of 180 when said controlling device reverses said connections, and means to brake said countershaft when the film is substantially fully rewound on said primary film holder. 1

8. In the machine of claim 7, the secondary film holder having a circumferential groove, and a spring'pressed finger adapted to enter said groove when the film is substantially fully unwound from said holder, said finger controlling the braking means.

9. In the machine of claim 1, the filmfeeding mechanism comprising toothed rolls adjacent the film holders, and driving con nections between said rolls and said countershaft whereby said rolls rotate uniformly with the film holders to wind and unwind the film and sprockets for engagin the film intermediate the film holders an connections, including a star wheel, between said sprockets and said countershaft, whereby said sprockets are rotated intermittently to actuate the film in the line of vision.

10. In the machine of claim 7, the prism holder carrying two prisms at difi'erent distances from its axis of oscillation.

11. In the machine of claim 7, the lens and prism holders carried by a shaft, a spring tending to turn said shaft in one direction, a stop to limit such turning, connections between said shaft and the conreversible connections between trolling device, and a latch for said controlling device which is released when the film is fully unwound from the primary film holder, wherefore said spring turns said shaft throu h an arc of 180 and actuates said controlling device to reverse the countershaft.

12. In the machine of claim 11, connections between said shaft and controlling device whereby the return of the latter to its original position rotates the former backwardly to its original position.

13. In the machine of claim 7, the primary film holder being mounted frictionally on a conical trunnion at one end, said trunnion being driven by pawl and ratchet mechanism, and by a hinged trunnion at the other end, so that it can easily be dismounted for the purpose of changing the film.

14. In a motion picture machine, a reversible film holder having a circumferential groove, a reversing member normally engaging the film and adapted to enter said groove before the film is fully unwound from said holder, and a braking mechanism for said holder controlled by said reversing member for preventing the film from being overwound upon said holder.

15. In a motion picture machine, a reversible film holder having a circumferential groove, a reversing member normally engaging the film and adapted to enter said groove, a braking mechanism for said holder controlled by said reversing member for preventing the film from being overwound upon said holder, the film having adjacent one end thereof a longitudinal slot affording said reversing member access to said groove before the film is fully unwound from said holder.

16. In a motion picture machine, a reversible film holder having a groove, 11. spring-pressed reversing finger normally engaging the film and adapted to enter said groove, a braking mechanism for said holder controlled by said reversing finger for preventing the film from being overwound upon said holder, the film having adjacent one end thereof an'openin affording said reversing finger access to said groove before the film is fully unwound from said holder.

17 In a machine for exhibiting films having reversely arranged adjacent picture series, a film guide, a lens, a source of illumination, a light ray diverting element interposed between the lens and the source of illumination for directing the light rays axially through said lens from one or the other of the reversel arranged picture series of the film, film fee 'ng means, means for reversing the direction of film feed, and means for automatically reversing the position of said light my diverting element simultaneousl wlth a reversal of direction of the film feed:

18. In a machine for exhibiting films having reversely arranged adi'acent picture series, a film guide, a lens ocated at one side of said guide, a source of illumination at the other side of said guide, a prism interposed between the lens and the source of illumination for directing the. light rays axially through said lens from one or the other of the reversely arranged picture series of the film, film feeding means, means for reversing the direction of film feed, and means" I of superposed spaced prisms reversed as to each other and disposed between the lens and the source of illumination for directing the rays axially through said lens from one or the other of the'reversely arranged picture series of the film, film feeding means, means for reversing the direction of film feed, and means for oscillating said prisms relative to the picture series of the film simultaneously WllLh'iLTGVBISfid of direction of the film feed.

In.testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature,in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM s. soALEs.

Witnesses:

Ismom BEAL, VALERIE M. Omrronn. 

